Lipid metabolic reprogramming mediated by circulating Nrg4 alleviates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease during the early recovery phase after sleeve gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic benefits of bariatric surgery that contribute to the alleviation of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) have been reported. However, the processes and mechanisms underlying the contribution of lipid metabolic reprogramming after bariatric surgery to attenuating MASLD remain elusive. METHODS: A case-control study was designed to evaluate the impact of three of the most common adipokines (Nrg4, leptin, and adiponectin) on hepatic steatosis in the early recovery phase following sleeve gastrectomy (SG). A series of rodent and cell line experiments were subsequently used to determine the role and mechanism of secreted adipokines following SG in the alleviation of MASLD. RESULTS: In morbidly obese patients, an increase in circulating Nrg4 levels is associated with the alleviation of hepatic steatosis in the early recovery phase following SG before remarkable weight loss. The temporal parameters of the mice confirmed that an increase in circulating Nrg4 levels was initially stimulated by SG and contributed to the beneficial effect of SG on hepatic lipid deposition. Moreover, this occurred early following bariatric surgery. Mechanistically, gain- and loss-of-function studies in mice or cell lines revealed that circulating Nrg4 activates ErbB4, which could positively regulate fatty acid oxidation in hepatocytes to reduce intracellular lipid deposition. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the rapid effect of SG on hepatic lipid metabolic reprogramming mediated by circulating Nrg4 alleviates MASLD.

The Effects of Mindfulness for Youth (MYmind) versus Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Improving Attention and Reducing Behavioral Problems among Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Their Parents: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: There is a lack of studies evaluating mindfulness-based interventions for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with an evidence-based control. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the effects of mindfulness for youth (MYmind) in improving children's attention, behavior, and parent-related outcomes versus cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). METHODS: A total of 138 families of children with ADHD aged 8-12 years were recruited from the community with 69 randomized to MYmind and 69 to CBT. Participants were assessed at baseline, immediately after intervention, at 3 months and 6 months. The primary outcome was the attention score of the Sky Search subtest of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch). Secondary outcomes were child behavior and parent-related assessments. Linear mixed models were used to assess the efficacy of MYmind compared with CBT. RESULTS: Both MYmind and CBT significantly improved children's attention score at 6 months (MYmind: ß = 1.48, p = 0.013, Cohen's d = 0.32; CBT: ß = 1.46, p = 0.008, d = 0.27). There were significant within-group improvements in most secondary outcomes. No significant difference was shown for both primary or secondary outcomes between the two arms at any time point. CONCLUSIONS: Both MYmind and CBT appeared to improve children's attention and behavior outcomes, although no difference was found between these two interventions. This is the largest RCT so far comparing MYmind and CBT although there was loss of follow-up assessments during the pandemic. Further RCTs adopting a non-inferiority design are needed to validate the results.

Bloodstream Infection in Patients With Intestinal Fistula: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: To delineate the clinical characteristics of intestinal fistula patients with Bloodstream infection (BSI). METHODS: Retrospective case series in Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU), Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. Among a cohort of 204 patients with a diagnosis of intestinal fistula, 46 who were complicated with BSI were analysed retrospectively. Data was collected from January 1, 2018 to February 1, 2020. RESULTS: Among the 204 patients with intestinal fistula, 46 patients showed positive blood cultures, which clearly had BSIs. Parenteral nutrition (PN) time (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04∼1.12, P < 0.01), transferred from external ICU (OR 3.68, 95% CI 1.48∼9.17, P = 0.01), septic shock (OR 4.61, 95% CI 1.77∼11.97, P < 0.01), APACHE II (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01∼1.22, P = 0.04) were significantly associated with BSI in patients with intestinal fistula. When APACHE II score exceeds 12.0 points or PN time exceeds 18.0 D, the chance of BSI in patients with intestinal fistula increases significantly. In addition, compared with the non-BSI group, BSI group had a higher mortality and expenses in ICU, longer stay in ICU and total hospital stay, and worse quality of life (all P < 0.05). A total of 105 isolates from samples (including sputum, pus and blood) of 46 patients in the BSI group, among which were mainly gram negative rods and fungi, as well as blood isolates. Importantly, in patients with intestinal fistula, BSIs caused by fungi accounted for 23.4%. CONCLUSION: Long-term PN, transfer from external ICU, septic shock, and higher APACHE II scores are often associated with an increased probability of BSIs in patients with intestinal fistula and a higher mortality. Gram-negative bacteria are the main pathogenic bacteria in intestinal fistula patients with BSI, and patients with intestinal fistula are more likely to develop fungal BSIs.

Enhancement of wastewater treatment under low temperature using novel electrochemical active biofilms constructed wetland.

A novel electrochemical active biofilms constructed wetland (NEAB-CW) was built to enhance the treatment efficiency for domestic sewage under low temperature environment (0-15 °C). In NEAB-CW, the traditional matrixes were replaced with conductive layer, in which laid stainless steel mesh tubes (SSMT) and added slow-release oxygen matrixes (SROM) and zero-valent iron rod (IR) were used to build a bioelectrochemical activity biofilms system. According to the results of 180 d experiment, the removal efficiencies of COD, NH4+-N and TP of NEAB-CW were 1.52 and 2.21, 2.97 and 1.68, 3.95 and 1.76 times higher than the CW without SROM and IR at 10-20 and 0-10 °C, respectively. The transverse and longitudinal electric potential (EP) variations in NEAB-CW improved microbial activities under low temperature by enhancing the electron transfer efficiency, resulting in higher and stable EP and electron currents density, as well as protein-like contents secreted from biofilms. The pollutant-degrading microorganisms (e.g., Clostridia, Simplicispira), low temperature-resistant microorganisms (e.g., Psychrobacter, Acinetobacter), and electrochemical active microorganisms (e.g., Negativicutes, Gammaproteobacteria) obviously accumulated in NEAB-CW under low temperature environment to generate electricity and degrade pollutants. The results provided a good choice to treat domestic sewage at 0-15 °C by using NEAB-CW.

Vector optical field with the polarization varying along an arbitrary circular trajectory on the Poincaré sphere.

As an inherent feature of vector optical field, the spatial distribution of polarization brings additional degrees of freedom to engineer the optical field and control the interaction between light and matters. Here we focus on the variation of polarization in single vector optical field, which can be defined by the trajectory on the Poincaré sphere. Based on the amplitude-phase-polarization joint modulation method we propose, vector optical field, whose variation of polarization follows arbitrary circular trajectory on the Poincaré sphere, can be generated. Moreover, the tightly focusing behaviors of the vector optical fields with the polarization varying along parallel circles on the Poincaré sphere are compared. Relations between the circular trajectory and the central intensity of the hollow focal field are concluded.

Structural Changes in Milled Wood Lignin (MWL) of Chinese Quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) Fruit Subjected to Subcritical Water Treatment.

Subcritical water treatment has received considerable attention due to its cost effectiveness and environmentally friendly properties. In this investigation, Chinese quince fruits were submitted to subcritical water treatment (130, 150, and 170 °C), and the influence of treatments on the structure of milled wood lignin (MWL) was evaluated. Structural properties of these lignin samples (UL, L130, L150, and L170) were investigated by high-performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC), FT-IR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), TGA, pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), 2D-Heteronculear Single Quantum Coherence (HSQC) -NMR, and 31P-NMR. The carbohydrate analysis showed that xylose in the samples increased significantly with higher temperature, and according to molecular weight and thermal analysis, the MWLs of the pretreated residues have higher thermal stability with increased molecular weight. The spectra of 2D-NMR and 31P-NMR demonstrated that the chemical linkages in the MWLs were mainly ß-O-4' ether bonds, ß-5' and ß-ß', and the units were principally G- S- H- type with small amounts of ferulic acids; these results are consistent with the results of Py-GC/MS analysis. It is believed that understanding the structural changes in MWL caused by subcritical water treatment will contribute to understanding the mechanism of subcritical water extraction, which in turn will provide a theoretical basis for developing the technology of subcritical water extraction.

Glycan Mimetics from Natural Products: New Therapeutic Opportunities for Neurodegenerative Disease.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) affect millions of people worldwide. Characterized by the functional loss and death of neurons, NDs lead to symptoms (dementia and seizures) that affect the daily lives of patients. In spite of extensive research into NDs, the number of approved drugs for their treatment remains limited. There is therefore an urgent need to develop new approaches for the prevention and treatment of NDs. Glycans (carbohydrate chains) are ubiquitous, abundant, and structural complex natural biopolymers. Glycans often covalently attach to proteins and lipids to regulate cellular recognition, adhesion, and signaling. The importance of glycans in both the developing and mature nervous system is well characterized. Moreover, glycan dysregulation has been observed in NDs such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Huntington's disease (HD), Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Therefore, glycans are promising but underexploited therapeutic targets. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of glycans in NDs. We also discuss a number of natural products that functionally mimic glycans to protect neurons, which therefore represent promising new therapeutic approaches for patients with NDs.

A test strip for ochratoxin A based on the use of aptamer-modified fluorescence upconversion nanoparticles.

An aptamer-based test strip is described for visual and instrumental determination of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA). It is based on the use of NaYF4:Yb,Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as a label for the aptamer and on the competition between OTA and its complementary sequence for an OTA-specific aptamer. To improve the analytical performance, the optical properties of the UCNPs, the fluidity of the UCNP-aptamer conjugate, and the migration rate on the nitrocellulose membranes were investigated. Under the optimal experimental conditions and by using a 980-nm laser, the relative fluorescence intensity (test line value/control line value) is proportional to the logarithm of the OTA concentration over a range from 5 to 100 ng·mL-1 (R2 = 0.9955). The limit of the detection is 1.86 ng·mL-1. This aptamer based flow assay can be performed within 15 min and has no serious cross-sensitivity to potentially interfering species. It was successfully applied to the determination of OTA in spiked wheat and beer samples. Graphical abstract An aptamer-based upconversion fluorescent strip based on the use of NaYF4:Yb,Er nanoparticles was developed for sensitive detection of Ochratoxin A. The limit of the detection was determined as 1.86 ng·mL-1. The assay can be performed within 15 min, indicating its great potential in point-of-care testing.

Correlation Between Circulating Tumor DNA Levels and Response to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKI) Treatment in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND Clinical monitoring of EGFR-positive NSCLC patients is important to gauge treatment response. The current study addresses the usage of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a prognostic marker during treatment of first-generation TKIs. MATERIAL AND METHODS Serial samplings of peripheral blood from 200 EGFR-positive NSCLC patients were taken. Baseline ctDNA quantification was conducted by digital droplet PCR before TKI treatment was administered and compared to primary biopsies. Thereafter blood sampling at different treatment cycles were measured and assessed for its prognostic and predictive value. RESULTS ctDNA was successfully detected in a number of patients and overall concordance rate was 84%. Importantly, we observed a strong correlation to ctDNA increase with disease progression using radiographic scans. In addition to survival analysis, we noted patients with the largest ctDNA variations had worst outcome. A significant number of EGFR patients during treatment developed a secondary mutation T790M and this cohort had worst survival outcome as well. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated a highly associative relation of ctDNA to NSCLC patients during treatment that can be utilized to gauge treatment response. CtDNA is an attractive means compared with conventional core needle biopsies and presents new methods for accurately profiling NSCLC disease progression.

Identification of differential metabolic characteristics between tumor and normal tissue from colorectal cancer patients by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common human malignancies and encompasses cancers of the colon and rectum. Although the gold-standard colonoscopy screening method is effective in detecting CRC, this method is invasive and can result in severe complications for patients. The purpose of this study was to determine differences in metabolites between CRC and matched adjacent nontumor tissues from CRC patients, to identify potential biomarkers that may be informative and developed screening methods. Metabolomic analysis was performed on clinically localized CRC tissue and matched adjacent nontumor tissue from 20 CRC patients. Unsupervised analysis, supervised analysis, univariate analysis and pathway analysis were used to identify potential metabolic biomarkers of CRC. The levels of 25 metabolites in CRC tissues were significantly altered compared with the matched adjacent nontumor tissues. Four metabolites (lactic acid, alanine, phosphate and aspartic acid) demonstrated good area under the curve of receiver-operator characteristic with acceptable sensitivities and specificities, indicating their potential as important biomarkers for CRC. Alterations of amino acid metabolism and enhanced glycolysis may be major factors in the development and progression of CRC. Lactic acid, alanine, phosphate, and aspartic acid could be effective diagnostic indicators for CRC.

Deletion of TRIM32 protects mice from anxiety- and depression-like behaviors under mild stress.

Chronic stress causes a variety of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression, but its mechanism is not well understood. Tripartite motif-containing protein 32 (TRIM32) was strongly associated with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder based on a study of copy number variation, and deletion of TRIM32 increased neural proliferation and reduced apoptosis. Here, we propose that TRIM32 is involved in chronic stress-induced affective behaviors. Using a chronic unpredictable mild stress mouse depression model, we studied expression of TRIM32 in brain tissue samples and observed behavioral changes in Trim32 knockout mice. The results showed that TRIM32 protein but not its mRNA was significantly reduced in hippocampus in a time-dependent manner within 8 weeks of chronic stress. These stress-induced affective behaviors and reduction of TRIM32 protein expression were significantly reversed by antidepressant fluoxetine treatment. In addition, Trim32 knockout mice showed reduced anxiety and depressive behaviors and hyperactivities compared with Trim32 wild-type mice under normal and mild stress conditions. We conclude that TRIM32 plays important roles in regulation of hyperactivities and positively regulates the development of anxiety and depression disorders induced by chronic stress.

Association between murine double minute 2 T309G polymorphism and risk of liver cancer.

During the past decade, a number of studies were published to evaluate the association between murine double minute 2 (MDM2) T309G polymorphism and risk of liver cancer. However, the association between MDM2 T309G polymorphism and risk of liver cancer was still unclear owing to the conflicting results from those published studies. An undated meta-analysis of all eligible studies was carried out to comprehensively assess the association. The pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence interval (95% CI) was used to evaluate the association between MDM2 T309G polymorphism and risk of liver cancer. Finally, ten studies with a total of 2,243 cases and 3,471 controls were finally included into the meta-analysis. Overall, there was an association between MDM2 T309G polymorphism and risk of liver cancer (G vs. T: OR=1.39, 95% CI 1.17-1.64, P<0.001; GG vs. TT: OR=1.87, 95% CI 1.34-2.62, P<0.001; GG/GT vs. TT: OR=1.61, 95 % CI 1.24-2.08, P<0.001). Subgroup analysis in Europeans showed that there was also an association between MDM2 T309G polymorphism and risk of liver cancer in Europeans (G vs. T: OR=1.81, 95% CI 1.45-2.27, P<0.001; GG vs. TT: OR=3.26, 95% CI 1.99-5.32, P<0.001; GG/GT vs. TT: OR=2.20, 95% CI 1.58-3.07, P<0.001). Subgroup analysis in Asians showed that there was also an association between MDM2 T309G polymorphism and risk of liver cancer in Asians (G vs. T: OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.06-1.52, P=0.010; GG vs. TT: OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.11-2.27, P=0.011; GG/GT vs. TT: OR=1.41, 95% CI 1.07-1.87, P=0.016). The meta-analysis provides a strong evidence for the association between MDM2 T309G polymorphism and risk of liver cancer.

PEITC reverse multi-drug resistance of human gastric cancer SGC7901/DDP cell line.

Gastric cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death in the world and nearly all patients who respond initially to cisplatin later develop drug resistance, indicating multi-drug resistance is an essential aspect of the failure of treatment. Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) has been implicated in inhibiting metastasis of several types of human cancer. However, the effect and potential mechanism of PEITC reversed multi-drug resistance of human gastric cancer is not fully clear. We have identified the role of PEITC in multi-drug resistance reversal of human gastric cancer SGC7901/DDP cell line. PEITC inhibited cisplatin-resistant human SGC7901/DDP cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, causing increased apoptosis, ROS generation, glutathione depletion, accumulation of Rhodamine-123, decreased expression of P-glycoprotein and cell cycle arrest. mRNA and protein expression of the multi-drug resistance gene (MDR1), multi-drug resistance-associated protein (MRP1), excision repair cross-complementing gene 1 (ERCC1), survivin, and Mad2 was decreased, and phosphorylation of Akt and transcriptional activation of NF-κB were suppressed. PEITC may be useful as the therapeutic strategy for overcoming multi-drug resistance through suppressing the PI3K-Akt pathway in human gastric cancer.

Placental transfer of dechlorane plus in mother-infant pairs in an e-waste recycling area (Wenling, China).

It has been reported that breastfeeding can expose newborns to dechlorane plus (DP), but transplacental transfer of DP has not been documented. We measured DP and its dechlorinated analogs in matched maternal blood-placenta-cord blood samples from 72 residents of the e-waste recycling area of Wenling, China. DP was detected in cord sera, indicating the occurrence of prenatal DP exposure and the transfer of DP across the placenta. The concentration ratio in the cord serum and maternal serum was estimated to be 0.45 for syn-DP and 0.35 for anti-DP, indicating the placenta partially limited DP transfer with a greater extent for anti-DP. The DP concentrations in the maternal serum, placenta, and cord serum strongly correlated, indicating that DP could transfer between the tissues. The DP concentrations in the matched samples could be predicted from each other. The anti-DP/total DP concentration ratios in the placentas and cord sera were significantly different from those in the maternal sera, suggesting that DP stereoselectively bioaccumulates in human tissues. When the congener concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were used as control variables, DP and total triiodothyronine concentrations were associated in the sera from mothers who had lived in Wenling for over 20 years.

Bioavailability and tissue distribution of Dechloranes in wild frogs (Rana limnocharis) from an e-waste recycling area in Southeast China.

Dechlorane Plus (DP), a flame retardant used as an alternative to decabromodiphenylether, has been frequently detected in organisms, indicating its bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential in aquatic and terrestrial species. However, little data is available on the bioaccumulation of DP in amphibians. Dechlorane Plus and its analogs (DPs) were detected in the liver, muscle and brain tissues of wild frogs (Rana limnocharis), which were collected from an e-waste recycling site, Southeast China. DP, Mirex, Dec 602 and a dechlorinated compound of DP (anti-Cl11-DP) varied in the range of 2.01-291, 0.650-179, 0.260-12.4, and not detected (nd)-8.67 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. No difference of tissue distribution was found for syn-DP, Mirex and Dec 602 between the liver and muscle tissue (liver/muscle concentration ratio close to 1, p > 0.05). However, higher retention was observed for anti-DP and anti-Cl11-DP in the frog muscle relative to the liver tissue (liver/muscle concentration ratio < 1, p < 0.05). Additionally, the blood-brain barrier was found to work efficiently to suppress these compounds entering brain tissues in this species (liver/brain concentration ratio > 1, p < 0.05), and the molecular weight was a key factor impacting the extent of the blood-brain barrier. Compared to levels in the muscle and brain tissue, a preferential enrichment of syn-DP was observed in the liver tissue, suggesting the occurrence of stereo-selective bioaccumulation in the wild frog.

Comparison of characterization and composition of melanoidins from three different dried apple slices.

The composition of melanoidins in dried apple that affects quality remains unclear. The composition and structure of melanoidins in dried apple slices by hot air drying (HAAM), instant controlled pressure drop drying (DICAM), and vacuum freeze-drying (FDAM) were investigated. It showed that the melanoidins were highly heterogeneous mixtures with a light-yellow color and blue-green fluorescence, belonging to polysaccharide-type melanoidins. Specifically, HAAM had a large molecular weight (929.5 g/mol) and wide molecular weight distribution, with more double-bond conjugated systems. DICAM (610.9 g/mol), possessing the strongest fluorescence intensity, was mainly composed of compounds with fewer π-conjugated structures and more electron-donating groups. As a control, the low level of Maillard reaction in FDAM resulted in the formation of the smallest molecular weight (458.6 g/mol) with weak fluorescence intensity. Moreover, 10 compounds were tentatively identified in apple melanoidins. This study provides the foundation for the future functional preparation of apple melanoidins.

Unraveling metabolic characteristics and clinical implications in gastric cancer through single-cell resolution analysis.

Background: Gastric cancer is a highly prevalent malignant neoplasm. Metabolic reprogramming is intricately linked to both tumorigenesis and cancer immune evasion. The advent of single-cell RNA sequencing technology provides a novel perspective for evaluating cellular metabolism. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the metabolic pathways of various cell types in tumor and normal samples at high resolution and delve into the intricate regulatory mechanisms governing the metabolic activity of malignant cells in gastric cancer. Methods: Utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing data from gastric cancer, we constructed metabolic landscape maps for different cell types in tumor and normal samples. Employing unsupervised clustering, we categorized malignant cells in tumor samples into high and low metabolic subclusters and further explored the characteristics of these subclusters. Results: Our research findings indicate that epithelial cells in tumor samples exhibit significantly higher activity in most KEGG metabolic pathways compared to other cell types. Unsupervised clustering, based on the scores of metabolic pathways, classified malignant cells into high and low metabolic subclusters. In the high metabolic subcluster, it demonstrated the potential to induce a stronger immune response, correlating with a relatively favorable prognosis. In the low metabolic subcluster, a subset of cells resembling cancer stem cells (CSCs) was identified, and its prognosis was less favorable. Furthermore, a set of risk genes associated with this subcluster was discovered. Conclusion: This study reveals the intricate regulatory mechanisms governing the metabolic activity of malignant cells in gastric cancer, offering new perspectives for improving prognosis and treatment strategies.

Metabolomics comparison of four varieties apple with different browning characters in response to pretreatment during pulp processing.

Browning commonly appeared in apple processing, which varied in different apple varieties. Present work investigated the metabolomics of four varieties apple of Yataka, Gala, Sansa, and Fuji, which possessed different browning characteristics and related enzymes. Sansa as browning insensitive apple variety, exhibited the least chroma change with the lowest PPO activity and the highest SOD activity among the four apple varieties. Browning inhibition pretreatment increased the activity of SOD and PAL and decreased PPO and POD activity. In addition, metabolomic variances among the four apple varieties (FC), their browning pulp (BR) and browning inhibition pulp (CM) were compared. And the key metabolites were in-depth analyzed to match the relevant KEGG pathways and speculated metabolic networks. There were 487, 644, and 494 significant differential metabolites detected in FC, BR and CM, which were consisted of lipids, benzenoids, phenylpropanoids, organheterocyclic compounds, organic acids, nucleosides, accounting for 23 %, 11 %, 15 %, 16 %, 11 % of the total metabolites. The differential metabolites were matched with 39, 49, and 36 KEGG pathways in FC, BR, and CM, respectively, in which other secondary metabolites biosynthesis metabolism was the most significant in FC, lipid metabolism was the most significant in BR and CM, and energy metabolism was markedly annotated in CM. Notably, Sansa displayed the highest number of differential metabolites in both its BR (484) and CM (342). The BR of Sansa was characterized by flavonoid biosynthesis, while the other three apple varieties were associated with α-linolenic acid metabolism. Furthermore, in browning sensitive apple varieties, the flavonoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway was significantly activated by browning inhibition pretreatment. Phenolic compounds, lipids, sugars, organic acids, nucleotides, and adenosine were regulated differently in the four apple varieties, potentially serving as key regulatory sites. Overall, this work provides novel insight for browning prevention in different apple varieties.

Revealing the structural changes of lignin in Chinese quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) fruit as it matures.

Chinese quince fruits (Chaenomeles sinensis) contain substantial amounts of lignin; however, the exact structure of lignin remains to be investigated. In this study, milled wood lignins (Milled wood lignin (MWL)-1, MWL-2, MWL-3, MWL-4, MWL-5, and MWL-6) were extracted from fruits harvested once a month from May to October 2019 to investigate their structural evolution during fruit growth. The samples were characterized via High-performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric (TGA), pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and NMR (2D-heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) and 31P). The MWL samples in all fruit growth stages were GS-type lignin and lignin core undergoing minimal alterations during fruit development. The predominant linkage in the lignin structure was ß-O-4', followed by ß-ß' and ß-5'. Galactose and glucose were the main monosaccharides associated with MWL. In MWL-6, the lignin exhibited the highest homogeneity and thermal stability. As the fruit matured, a gradual increase in the ß-O-4' proportion and the ratio of S/G was observed. The results provide comprehensive characterization of the cell wall lignin of quince fruit as it matures. This study could inspire innovative applications of quince fruit lignin and provide the optimal harvest time for lignin utilization.

[Analysis of clinical manifestations and imaging features of facial nerve schwannomas].

Objective:To explore the clinical manifestations and imaging characteristics, and to clarify the imaging value in the diagnosis of facial nerve schwannomas. Methods:Retrospectively analyze the data of 23 patients with facial nerve schwannomas confirmed by surgery and pathology in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the First Affiliated Hospital of the Air Force Military Medical University from September 2020 to September 2022, including 8 males and 15 females, aged 18-66 years old. Summarize and analyze their clinical symptoms, specialized examinations, and imaging findings. Results:The clinical manifestations were facial nerve paralysis in 15 cases（2 cases of HB Ⅳ, 6 cases of HB Ⅴ, 7 cases of HB Ⅵ）, hearing loss in 14 cases（5 cases of conductive deafness, 2 cases of mixed deafness, and 7 cases of severe sensorineural hearing loss）, 8 cases tinnitus, 7 cases ear pain, 4 cases dizziness, 4 cases headache, 2 cases ear pus, and parotid gland tumors in 6 cases presenting as local masses. Endoscopic examination revealed 8 cases of external ear canal tumors and 3 cases of intratympanic tumors. Combining temporal bone HRCT, MRI enhanced scanning, and CPR imaging techniques, 1 case involved the internal auditory canal segment, 2 cases in the tympanic segment, 6 cases in the parotid gland area. A total of 14 cases involved two or more segments of the internal auditory canal segment, the labyrinthine segment, geniculate ganglion, the tympanic segment, and the mastoid segment. When the tumors were large, adjacent structures were involved. It was found that 8 cases invaded the external auditory canal and tympanic cavity, ossicles were displaced or bony destruction; 3 cases invaded the jugular foramen area, and 1 case grew to the middle cranial fossa region with temporal lobe brain parenchymal compression. Conclusion:The clinical manifestations of facial nerve schwannomas are diverse. The combination of various imaging techniques will be conducive to topical and qualitative diagnosis and provide an important basis for treatment strategies.